How to Fix Small Problems In Your Decking

Building a deck for your house is no small feat - that's why many people choose to outsource the labor and time to contractors who have experience doing it. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to maintain your own deck with your own wits, tools, and supplies. So how exactly do you make minor repairs in your decking, and where should you start? Well, I can answer one question right away: you should start by reading the rest of this article.

First, understand that there are some common problems that come up when fixing your deck, and if you understand these problems, you already have a head start in your at-home repair. Here are the solutions to some of these common problems.

Repairing Broken Floor Boards

The floor boards in your deck are the most visible and probably the most common problem you'll encounter. It's hard to have guests over for a Sunday evening meal when your floorboards are loose and ready to pop out at any moment. That's why you'll want to know how to handle your floor board problems right away.

This can be very easy - usually, floor boards that aren't working well enough either need to be re-tightened or attached to the beams in your deck, or simply need to be replaced. It will be up to you to make the diagnosis, but err on the side of caution and safety. You might even have some old beams laying around from the initial deck construction that will allow you to seamlessly integrate some new beams.

How to Stop Peeling Paint

If you absolutely have to have your wood be a copper color but used paint, you might want to think again about your choice. Paint sits on top of the wood and doesn't soak in, meaning that it's both exposed to the elements and can be lifted up from the wood, allowing it to peel. If you use a wood stain, however, you can change the color of your deck without having to worry about the paint peeling off.

Remove your paint from the deck, wash it down, and once it's dry, have the deck stained. You won't have to worry about the elements "getting to" your deck's color because the color will be stained in to the wood itself.

There are a number of ways to remove paint from your deck. You can rent a vibrating sander or apply a chemical paint stripper (be careful and make sure to follow warning signs!). Try to consult someone who knows about decks to see what might be the most effective way for you.

Photo Credits: carljoseph

Originally posted 2009-08-14 03:53:03.

This post involves:

building a deck, copper color, deck construction, eleme, elements, floorboards, old beams, peeling paint, wood stain

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Handyman, How to Fix, Patio

Posted by Fix Handyman on July 17, 2010 in Handyman, How to Fix, Patio. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.